I agree, but Akiko should strive for Level 2 or 3 for her spiral IMHO. Lvl 1 is rather low...

Yes, I agree with you about that. I just think Ladies spirals, once so beautiful are typically just a requirement that is performed for points and see very few that are beautiful anymore.

I appreciate that Yuna gets a level four - but don;t think there is anything special or beautiful about her spirals. That would be my feeling for most of the Ladies skating today.

I think Caroline, Alissa, Mirai and Mao have lovely positions - almost as nice as Sasha had. The rest - ughh.....wish they would make spirals optional rather than forcing me to see so many bad positions.

It is like a Cop billboard for showing what is missing and wrong with some of todays's skating. Points - and not soul - are what matter so that is what we see.

I am really sad that Nakano Yukari didn't manage to get the Vancouver ticket. Such a narrow gap between 2nd and 3rd! It's so cruel. As for me, I would have sent Asada, Suzuki and Nakano to the Olympics - leaving Ando at home. Other countries would be happy to have only one of these great female skaters.

Remember that yuna at beat can only do 4 types of triple jumps (no loops), mao has done 4 types of triple without lutz and salchow. so their is nothing to laugh about the jump content when you compare it with yuna.

Yuna only got 4 triple jump ratified at the GPF so doing 5 triple is will hurt mao but won't be a deal breaker.

Yuna's 4 triples are lutz, flip, toe, sal. She does two 3lutz, her two 3toe are in difficult combinations (3lz-3toe and 2a-3t) . If Mao does 2a-2t, her four triples are 3a, 3f, 3lo, 3t. She does two 3lo and two 3flip, both of which are less valuable than a 3lutz and neither one of those jumps are in difficult combinations like Yuna's are (unless you count 3f-2lo-2lo (which she often gets DG). If Mao does a 2a-2t instead at the Olympics, her only hard jump will be the solo 3a, which could easily get downgraded.

5 triples for everyone else except Yuna pretty much is a dealbreaker, even for Yuna she might not win. Remember at the GPF her score was only 188 and was just 3 points ahead of Miki who did not skate perfectly either. As long as Yuna hits her 3lz-3t and it's clean, she can afford a minor mistake like a UR 3toe on the 2a-3t or a fluky salchow and still win, but that's just Yuna. It's stupid but some skaters must accomplish much more to get good/competitive scores than others do. Look at US nationals last year, Rachael and Caroline landed 7 triples and still hardly got higher scores in the FS than Alissa who landed 3. Mirai at SC was passed over for a medal by Laura and Alissa even though she landed 5 triples and they each only landed 3. It's just kind of how the system works these days.

Mao and Joannie definitely have a shot at winning the Olympics, and it is likely they will medal, but they will have to land a lot more than Yuna will to get that gold or that medal because Yuna's superior skating (and reputation I suppose). Joannie has 7 triples in her arsenal and she landed 6 at worlds last year, if Mao is leaving out the 3a-2t she better get two more triples or a 3-3 in her program fast otherwise it will be like last year at worlds where she did great but it wasn't enough.

Thanks.. Im still sad for Yukari.. at least shes going to worlds, hope she can medal there. Will Mao really go to 4CC ? Maybe to reboost her international confidence. Happy for Machida getting his first Major ISU championship.